LORD ESCHIN: Part Four

‘There’s something rotten on the other side of the forest’.

Barely two weeks had passed and Eschin found himself once more seated across the table from Prince Tasaam.

In a constantly changing world, the Princes room seemed to be caught in a timeless unchanging moment. The same aides came in and out with a seemingly endless assortment of Ledgers and dockets which required the Princes attention. The Chrystal decanter on the mahogany desk was never empty, and new visitors were often disappointed to discover that the Prince drank only water, when offered a glass.

The long case clock still ticked above the desk in a sedate manner, giving those called to the room the sense that the prince had all the time in the world.

Eschin had been woken an hour earlier with the news that Prince Tasaam was awaiting his pleasure. He had hurriedly washed and shaved before accompanying the flustered messenger to the palace. Now he eyed the rooms other occupants.



The Prince, as always, appeared crisply dressed and calm. He seemed for all the world like a man who had slept extremely well and now had nothing more taxing to consider than which suit of clothing would best suit his mood.

Eschin privately wondered how he was managing. Rumour in the army was that the Prince had only two hours sleep a night and it was common knowledge that his spotless office was constantly peopled by Berkham’s civic leaders who appeared always to be a gnats wing away from breaking their support of the army.

The Prince had to be part politician, part accountant, part aristocrat and part warrior.

Tasked with keeping order between the myriad opposing factions that comprised the allied force in Berkham.

Despite this, the Prince appeared always as he was this morning. He rarely lost his temper and appeared possessed of a boundless energy.

He was currently concerned with the rooms other occupant. A man in his late forties, dressed in well weathered brown leathers which stank of wood smoke and blood. Like Eschin two weeks previously, he had clearly just arrived back from the field and had been introduced to the swordsman as ‘Captain Talaan; one of our more successful spies’.

The man had a beard which was obviously in need of trimming dark brown eyes that brooded beneath bushy black eyebrows. His hair was long to cover a widows peak but there were no signs of grey and he appeared fit and vital despite carrying more years than many of the captains in the allied force.

He sat easily before the great desk and his face reflected the dry humour that Eschin had come to recognise as the mark of many veteran soldiers.



‘There’s something rotten out there I’m sure of it’ he continued, glady accepting a glass from the decanter on the desk, only to pause in surprise as he realised the true nature of the contents.

‘Every damn troll the the patrols have lost, every enemy soldier, every damn chaotic wretch that crawls out from under a stone is heading through to the other side, but it’s far too well defended to risk us following. Those woods are an ambushers paradise’.

‘How many men have you lost’ enquired the Prince.

‘Tweny one’ replied the captain, ‘although three of them are wounded rather than outright dead’

The prince made and indecipherable mark on the ledger in front of him before closing the covers with a heavy snap and adding it to the growing pile on one side of the desk.

'So, it would appear that they are massing for the next assault'. He sighed and settled back into the leather comfort of his chair, closing his eyes and steepling elegant fingers as he continued to speak to the two officers.

' The next stage of the war is coming gentlemen. Everyone feels it. Whether this month or the next I do not have the power to say. But without a doubt, the enemy has found some new champion and all the dregs of the earth are flocking to his banner.

We may find the strenth to face him but we cannot afford the risk that this force may combine with what remains of the southern army that we routed last year'.



Talaan appeared to consider the princes comments before answering; 'But how are we to prevent them unifying when any force that is sent into the forest will quickly be cut to pieces by ambush. Our own scouting force is returning at less than half strength I am sorry to say'.

'There is no need for apology my dear captain. I am sure that the losses are not due to poor leadership on your part. Air cover from our friends at the magical colleges is a wonderful thing, but it's dammned difficult to see anything from above that canopy until it's already been shot at you. The mages have yet to discover an adequate defence against a five foot bolt with a spike at the end'.



Finally he turned to Eschin, as if only now becoming aware of his presence in the room.

'My Lord Eschin, what would be your council on this matter?'

Eschin looked briefly from one man to the other, clearing his throat as he considered the question.

'Clearly our forces cannot journey around the forest to attack, the terrain is against us all the way. Nevertheless, it would seem unwise to lay any plans without first seeking to learn more of this new champion and what strength they have. Whatever we do, it must be done quickly though for it would seem that our time runs short'.

'Indeed you are correct Eschin, and it is for that reason that I have requested your presence at this meeting. You are probably the only man in this army with speed and skill enough to gain such intelligence in time for it to be put to any use'.

The Prince slid open one of the many drawers in the desk and removed a sealed paper, handing it to the swordsman before continuing.

'Your orders are within, as well as the usual codes and and a warrant for another shadow wings capable steed. I need you to find out all you can of this new threat. There is no chance for subtlety or subterfuge or I would be sending Talaan back into the woods. I need you to do what you seem to do best. Kill your way in and out in one piece and bring me back somthing that I can use. If you have not reported back within fifteen days then I will assume you dead. I must say that I will be extreemely surprised if that turns out to be the case however' .

Sanchez and Bob watchin the ladies!

I love these guys. I doodles them whilst waiting for a meeting to start a few weeks ago and they were sittin in my pad ever since. Then I coloured them up the other day and they look great. I imagine them chillin on a sunlit street in Brazil 'cheakkin out the Ladieez'!

Cleetus the inbred wizard

Cleetus enjoys doing magic tricks and peeing his pants.

Lord Eschin: Part Three

The small farmstead was a welcome sight after the Spartan hardness of the past week. Smoke from the fire drifted from a rough stone chimney that rose from the heavy thatch roof. A stone wall marked the small holdings perimeter and enclosed the various yards and out houses.

The main yard in front of the house had the same chickens pecking around as had been there on Eschins last departure and, as always the air carried the rich aroma of cooking from the open kitchen door.



As a ranking officer; Eschin had been offered use of the family’s accommodations and it was not just the soft bed that he looked forward to on these breaks from action.

The family running the farm were gentle and strong people. The farmer and his wife appeared a quiet but loving couple and Eschin had found himself taking an instant liking to them.

Their oldest son Ket was nearing eleven years of age and had run away from Eschin the first time that he had stayed. Eschin had tried to be friendly but the boy clearly feared this silver and black clad warrior with his hard eyes and strange manner of speech.

Over time however, the boy had overcome his fear of their guest and warmed to his occasional company. Eschin had found himself an unwitting tutor in the boys own search for manhood and identity.



Even now he could hear the youth in the farms back yard, busy with his fathers axe as he tried to cut up log rounds for the fire.

Eschin moved silently to the back door, where he could observe the child without his presence being detected.

Ket was panting with exhertion but was having little success for his trouble. More rounds were flying from the block than being split by the axe. Occasionally the child would manage to cut a round in half when he struck it but more often he would miss and create nothing more than a sliver of kindling wood with the big axe.

At other times he would hit a hidden knot in the wood and the axe would bounce treacherously back at him causing him to loose his balance.



Finally Eschin walked out into the sunlight of the yard and smiled at his friend. “ Well met Ket, I can see that you and your father’s axe have been becoming better aquiained in my absence”.

The boy coloured but laughed out loud; “ yes my lord, but I fear that I will never master it at this rate. I spend three times as long cutting it as it takes to burn it!”.

Eschin smiled and held out his hand for the axe.

“ Nonsense my friend. All things appear impossibly difficult when we do not comprehend their nature. You have strength aplenty but your technique is lacking”.

He took the latest round that had fallen to the ground and re set it on the chopping log once again before motioning to Ket to examine it with him.

“The man who taought me how to use an axe when I was your age told me that the secret is to see how the wood itself had grown and developed. Then you will best understand how to cut it. Take this piece for example, see how it had thickened and pushed out branches during it’s life. Those branches have been cut away but the roots of them remain as a knot in the wood. Try to put your axe at the end with the knot and it will just bounce off and perhaps take a tooth or two with it if you’re not careful.”



He turned the round over on the chopping block so that the knot sat nearest the bottom.

“ it is best to always choose the path of least resistance when we cut,” he took up the axe as if to strike, “ But first you must see the cut in your mind. See it as one perfect fluid and balanced action and then move to create that action. Make sure that your stance is correct or you will miss your target and end up with more kindling”.

Eschin demonstrated for the boy; first slowly lowering the head of the axe so that it rested lightly on top to the round and then adjusting his stance slightly before taking his swing.

The round fell into two perfect halves on the log.

“Now you try”, he handed the axe back to Ket who had already taken up another round to chop and now set it carefully on the block, making sure that the knots were nearest the bottom. He shifted position several times before taking a practice swing and then, to his evident pleasure, he struck, and the round obediently split apart.



“ Thank you Sozo!” ‘ he cried, forgetting his manners in the excitement of the moment and looking fearfully back to Eschin as he realised, “ I am sorry… my lord”.

Eschin sat on the chopping log and held the boys gaze. “ We are friends Ket, and you may call me Sozo Eschin with no fear. I am happy to have been of service”.

Ket smiled in his relief and moved to set up the next round. “Who taught you about wood then, was it your father?”

Eschin closed his eyes and drew a long breath as he considered how to answer the youth’s question.

“ Not my father no, he was too often away tending to the affairs of our lands. As I myself am now more is the pity. No, it was my fathers closest friend, a man called Galaan who taught me. He taught me many things. How to dance and how to write, how to hunt. It was he who taught me the sword, but that came much later”

Ket smiled, “ he sounds like a strange fellow; to be dancing one day and fighting the next”.

“ Strange indeed, but at that time I hardly knew it. One does not question matters so much when one is young. Truly though he saw no difference between chopping wood or dancing or fighting. They were all one and the same to him, an opportunity to create beuty out of function”.

“And he taught you when you were young?”

“When I was young yes, and then later, when I was older”.

“ he must be an old man now then, his dancing days are over eh”

“ He was never old in all the years I knew him. He was of the elder race and appeared forever young. I knew that he and my father had been friends when my father was but a youth”.

Eschin looked to see how the boy had received this information, but he did not appear shocked or afraid.

He stood to his feet once again.

“ how old are you my lord?”

“ old enough to know that your supper is nearly ready. Now try to finish the rest of this wood by then eh”.

And with that he left the boy to seek his quarters and a hot bath.

Elephant beast

Woo woo, treated myself to some decent new colouring pencils. This elephant beast is one of my first experiments with them. "Let the new era of vibrant colour commence"!

Doodles the squig